INFORMATION BY AND FOR THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS

April 17-21, 2023

WEEK 16

Subscribe to The Weekly! Click HERE to sign up.

City Manager’s Note

Dear Neighbors,

Last night at the April 20th City Council meeting, we had a full agenda and thanks to our Mayor and committed City Council we were able to get through it all including a full range of public input. A council recap is prepared and is available here. I want to thank staff for their thoughtful presentation, the council for their patient and deliberate debate, and most importantly the community for the participation and input. The evening started with a lively presentation from our 2022 STEM winners, Vikram Mani and Sofia Shah, from the Town (See Pictures Below). The Council then appointed Aarti Johri to the NCLA Board, Ron Haley to the Technology Committee, and heard a presentation from Denise Gluhan from the Los Altos Hills County Fire District on updates from the District and the FireWise program.

The Council then spent several hours on the Town's Housing Element listening from staff and the community followed by an engaging and meaningful debate. In the end, they passed the Housing Element Update (HEU) 5-0 vote and a motion that made some modifications, accommodations and directions the City Manager would follow up in his meeting with HCD next week. The revised HEU will be submitted to HCD thereafter.

We all want to thank Councilmember Tankha for lasting as long as she did but left the meeting at 9:15pm due to health reasons.

The Council then heard the consent calendar that can be reviewed in more detail in the recap. In summary, it included; a second reading of an ordinance that increases the City Manager's signing authority with the understanding that we will be providing the Council with updates on signed contracts during the city Manager reports at Council meetings; authorization to advertise for our street pavement rehab program; extension of a sewer line on Viscaino Road; award of a contract for our caterer for the Town picnic; and approving our County Household Hazardous Waste Collection program.

Next on the agenda we cancelled the May, July, and September regular council meetings and replaced them with special Council meetings on May 17th and September 28th. Please note, we will not have a regular council meeting in July!

The Council also named a new pathway between Moody and Central Drive after Art Lachenbruch.

Next on the agenda was two public hearings for a new Cal Water chemical storage sheds near 24752 Olive Tree Lane and exterior alterations to a Historic Landmark at Foothill Community College. Both passed 4-0-1 (with Councilmember Tankha absent).

Staff gave some updates to the council including a report on residential burglaries in the town. A copy of that report can be found here. The Council members then gave an update on all the AdHoc Committees they sit on over the past week.

Finally, the council discussed two council initiated items. The first on the role and relationship of the Council Liaison and Committee member and the second on the announcement of an appreciation dinner for Community Safety Leaders this Sunday April 23rd.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:45pm in the Memory of Robert "Bob" Anderson. Mayor Swan in respect of Bob's service as a HAM radio operator closed the meeting with his call sign "KC6ZWG now silent key."

1. Residential Burglary Update

Crime Prevention Update

We are pleased to announce that Genesis Security has begun their work in our community. The preventive private security patrols have been designed to assist our sheriffs deputies. Their role, is to provide a uniformed and prevention-oriented patrol.

Coupled with added overtime sheriffs patrols authorized by our City Council, we now have a full complement of resources deployed. Two Genesis employees (a third is yet to be selected) are:

Site Supervisor - Elton Walton

Officer - Adam Medina

Crime Prevention Tip of the Week

While individual homeowners benefit greatly from deploying crime prevention, target hardening and security technology measures—as previously described—thinking from a neighborhood standpoint can help. 

If you, and your neighbors are conscientious, maximum security benefits result. Burglars are known to return to the same area when they are successful in committing crime. In short, if your neighbor gets targeted, you are more vulnerable when the crook returns looking for another victim. This said:

(1) Ask your neighbor to consider adding security measures

(2) Expand awareness by asking your neighbor to sign-up for this weekly report

(3) Consider organizing a neighbor on watch (NOW) group if you’re not already part of one. Details found here: (http://losaltoshills.ca.gov/561/Neighborhood-Watch-Program)

2. Dogs On Leash

We all love our dogs! We also need to comply with our local leash laws. Please be advised that the Town of Los Altos Hills has a Municipal Code requiring all dogs to be on a leash when they are off the owner’s private property.  

No person owning or harboring any dog shall allow or permit such dog, whether licensed or not, to be upon a public street, sidewalk, park, school ground, public place or upon any unenclosed lot or land except when held under leash by an able-bodied person. (§ 1, Ord. 367, eff. January 14, 1994)

Should you encounter an unleashed dog(s) in any of the public spaces listed within the Muni Code, call the sheriff’s office non-emergency telephone line at (408)-299-2311 to have a deputy respond. If the deputy witnesses the dog being off leash, and can identify the owner of the dog(s), the deputy can issue a Muni Code citation to the dog owner for the violation.

If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog(s) within the Town of Los Altos Hills, to get the fastest response from the most appropriate agency, call Palo Alto Animal Control Center at (650) 329-2413 (24 hours) to have an animal control officer respond. Palo Alto Animal Control will conduct an investigation, issue citation for violations (if appropriate), and quarantine the animal (if necessary). While you can call the Sheriff’s Office for this type of incident, they will notify and defer to Palo Alto Animal Control for this investigation, as they are the subject matter experts, have the proper training, dedicated facilities, and needed resources to handle dog bit or dangerous animal cases.

3. Neighborhood Watch

Did you know that Neighborhood Watch groups tend to have fewer incidents of crime! The last two weeks staff has worked with two groups of neighbors in the Town to establish their own newly formed Neighborhood Watch zone. The intent of these groups is to encourage residents to know their neighbors and look out for one another with the intent of reducing crime. These newly formed zones will be receiving neighborhood watch street signs installed on polls in their streets. If you are interested to learn more or would like to bring a neighborhood watch program to your neighborhood reach out to Cody Einfalt ceinfalt@losaltoshills.ca.gov

4. Invitation for Public Input into the 2023 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan

Join Los Altos Police on April 26th at 5:00 pm to provide feedback on the 2023 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. (The agenda also includes an update on the Los Altos Police Department's Military Equipment Use Policy.) 

This is an opportunity for Los Altos Hills residents to provide input and guidance to the Santa Clara County-wide team developing strategies to mitigate the impact of natural and other hazards, reduce vulnerability, and adapt to the changing climate. If you would like to submit questions or feedback in advance, please email info@losaltosca.gov. 

And—please take a few moments to provide your answers to the Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan survey.

VIRTUAL MEETING INFORMATION:

April 26, Wednesday

5:00 pm

Computer:

Link: https://losaltosca-gov.zoom.us/j/84251600240?pwd=dHpZaXBESHFYQyt5akFYQnF...

 Passcode: 685273

One Tap Mobile:

US: +1 (669) 444-9171

Webinar ID: 842 5160 0240

Passcode: 685273

5. Ribbon Cutting and Food Truck Social

In celebration of the newly refurbished Multipurpose Room and Concession stand at Purisimma Park the Town held a ribbon cutting and food truck social on Wednesday, April 19 from 4:30-7 pm at Purissima Park. Over a 150 people turned out for the event, see a highlight video here. The space will be used for social gatherings, concession stand for the park and committee meetings. To make a request for facilities, or fields visit here.

Sheriff's Report

Planning and Building

Job Opportunities

Public Works

Click the Icon above for the Town calendar.

Thank you for reading

this weekly newsletter.